Storms pose potential threats to us

FRIDAY, AUGUST 12: Two tropical storms could pose a threat to Bermuda over the next two weeks, weather experts have predicted. The storms are forming near the Cape Verde Islands off Africa.

The AccuWeather.com Hurricane Centre said three named systems — Franklin, Gert and Harvey — are likely to threaten the North Atlantic over the next two weeks.

Alex Sosnowski, a senior meteorologist with Accuweather, said: “August is a time when the Cape Verde storms – tropical systems that originate from the Cape Verde Islands near Africa – begin to ramp up, while the risk of near-shore formation of storms continue. A push of cooler air into the north-east is sometimes a sign that the tropical Atlantic is about to roll into high gear. That extra cool push in the north helps to generate some spin in the sub-tropics further south.”

Mr Sosnowski said at least two of the Cape Verde systems will have “moderate development”, with heavy rain and squalls predicted for the Leeward Islands this weekend.

Peak time

He added: “Both of these systems, if they do develop, could come close to Bermuda waters several days after affecting the Lesser Antilles. How intense any of the systems being monitored in the Atlantic will become is difficult to determine. They haven’t formed yet.”

Mark Guishard of the Bermuda Weather Service said Bermuda is entering the peak time for tropical storms: “It’s no surprise to see the Atlantic priming itself to kick off a few areas of development. Medium range models indicate the potential for development in the Atlantic in the next week and we’re watching those areas with interest.”

But he said none of the systems currently brewing off the African coast have a higher than 30 per cent chance of developing into a named storm.

Dr Guishard added that a weather system off the coast of Florida could bring high winds and rain today (Friday), although it is likely to pass well north of Bermuda: “The next disturbance of any real concern is a tropical wave, currently more than 2000 nautical miles to the south east of Bermuda. The National Hurricane Center has assigned a 30 per cent probability to this system becoming a named tropical cyclone in the next 48 hours. There is a chance that this system could affect our weather in the middle of next week. As with all tropical disturbances, however, there are large uncertainties associated with its evolution and we are watching it closely.”

More info: The National Hurricane Center; Bermuda Weather Service. Also see the Bermuda Weather Channel on CableVision and WOW.